The 2025 Upper Mississippi River Conference will include an exciting new addition. For the first time in conference history, one of our collaborators, the Waterfront Alliance, will host a workshop session one day prior to opening remarks on Wednesday morning.
This new opportunity is one funded by the Walton Family Foundation, with the goal of expanding the reach of the Waterfront Alliance to freshwater regions. The presence of the Waterfront Alliance has historically been limited to costal communities facing the impacts of sea level rise; however, the organization has now been able to expand to three inland municipalities, two of which are in Iowa. Cedar Rapids, the Quad Cities, and Memphis, Tennessee will all receive funding for WEDG, which stands for Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines. The WEDG evaluation and accreditation will bolster the capacity for projects in these areas to create development plans that work with the river’s natural edge, rather than against it.
The workshop will also be unique, in that it will discuss the application of WEDG guidelines to a local project that is of interest to the alliance. Local residents are likely familiar with RENEW Moline, a city initiative backed by a multidisciplinary team with the goal of revitalizing the riverfront. WEDG representatives will discuss the project at the workshop, and apply their 6 categories of investigation, including site assessment, climate resilience, community access, edge composition, natural resources, and innovation. By reviewing the project through the lens of these criteria, the development will be more likely to withstand future threats and foster a more positive sense of place for community members.
The Waterfront Alliance’s participation will also extend beyond the one-day workshop, and representatives Vallery Aquilar and Tom Klein will provide Thursday morning’s keynote presentation as well. To close, Vallery and Tom will briefly present to students at the Next Gen Summit, as part of the Environmental Career Panel.
For more information on this year’s Upper Mississippi River Conference, head to riveraction.org/umrc to view the conference schedule and description. We hope to see you there!